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Tobacco Use Prevention and Control

Twenty–two (22) communities are improving health through implementation of policies, practices and evidence–based strategies that reduce the consumption and initiation of tobacco use, and exposure to secondhand smoke. These targeted interventions include implementing policies for smoke–free multi–unit housing, creating tobacco–free worksites and campuses, increasing calls to the Quitline, and decreasing access to tobacco products. Below are a few examples of the many innovative successes already achieved by CPPW communities as of June 30, 2011.

Successful implementation of these evidence–based strategies will result in measurable and sustainable change and improve chronic disease health outcomes over time.

Alabama

In Jefferson County, Alabama, the 1,800 students and 135 faculty and staff at Miles College, a historically black college, are no longer exposed to tobacco marketing on campus, including discounted prices, coupons, rebates, gift cards, or free samples of nicotine or tobacco products.

The 27,000 residents of the city of Bessemer in Jefferson County, Alabama, are protected from secondhand smoke exposure in public places, restaurants, hotels, bars, and private clubs that are now smoke-free.

The city of Vestavia Hills in Jefferson County, Alabama, now protects its 34,000 residents from secondhand smoke exposure. Vestavia Hills’ smoke-free areas include all public places, restaurants, bars, and private clubs.

In Jefferson County, Alabama, at least 34 food establishments and convenience stores that sell tobacco are displaying signs about tobacco’s negative health effects. The displays are designed to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco products among the community’s 658,000 residents.

Birmingham, Alabama’s212,000 residents are now protected from secondhand smoke exposure in all public places, restaurants, and bars.

In the city of Midfield, in Jefferson County, Alabama, all enclosed public places are now smoke-free, including bars and lounges, banks, laundromats, offices, retail establishments, libraries, educational facilities, and workplaces. The change benefits Midfield’s 5,200 residents.

California

In the city of Hermosa Beach in Los Angeles County, California, all public areas, including outdoor dining areas, city parks, and piers, are smoke-free. Nearly 20,000 residents and more than 900,000 annual visitors now have additional protections from secondhand smoke exposure.

Multiunit housing in South Pasadena, in Los Angeles County, California, is now smoke-free. Protections cover units and common areas in apartments and condominiums, and benefit more than 10,300 residents.

In the city of Compton in Los Angeles County, California, more than 97,000 residents now benefit from smoke-free multi-unit housing complexes and outdoor public spaces. Protections cover apartments, condos, outdoor dining areas, and parks. Cessation resources are available for those residents who want to quit smoking.

Los Angeles County, California’s Project TRUST is working with 61 social service agencies to link residents experiencing homelessness with smoking cessation services. Through a program called “LA County Pioneers in Tobacco Control,” cessation services are provided to an estimated 48,000 individuals at 26 homeless shelters each month.

All eight Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) venues in Los Angeles County, California, are now tobacco-free. Employees and clients also have access to cessation services for assistance with quitting tobacco. The changes benefit 325 employees and the thousands of people who receive DHHS services annually.

In the city of Claremont in Los Angeles County, California, 23 public parks and the popular Claremont Village where 180 businesses are located are now smoke-free. Seven academic institutions that make up the Claremont Colleges Consortium also are smoke-free. The changes benefit more than 35,000 residents of Claremont, as well as consortium students.

Parks and outdoor dining areas are now smoke-free in the city of Campbell in Santa Clara County, California. An estimated 39,000 residents are protected from harmful secondhand smoke exposure at 139 outdoor dining establishments and 12 city parks.

In the city of Baldwin Park in Los Angeles County, California, the 13,000 residents of rental units and apartment complexes now enjoy protections from secondhand smoke exposure. Common areas, patios, and balconies also will eventually be smoke-free.

In the city of South Gate, in Los Angeles County, California, public parks and outdoor event spaces are now smoke-free. The change benefits the community’s 95,000 residents.

Medical facilities in Santa Clara County, California, serving low-income residents have implemented smoking cessation in their clinical practices. The facilities include: Regional Medical Center of San Jose, which employs 1,900 staff and serves 110,000 patients each year; Foothill Community Health Center, which provides services to 4,500 patients each year, many of whom are uninsured and low-income Hispanic and Latino residents of East San Jose; 2 free clinics operated by Stanford University School of Medicine, which serve approximately 19,650 residents; and the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Palo Alto, whose substance abuse treatment program serves more than 260 patients each year.

Florida

From 2010-2011, in Orange County, Florida, more than 700 medical providers incorporated the Ask, Advise, Refer model for tobacco cessation into their clinical services for the first time. Nearly 180,000 patients were screened for tobacco use and those identified as tobacco users were referred to the Florida Quitline.

In Orange County, Florida, parks and outdoor dining areas are now smoke-free. The changes benefit the 290,000 residents of the cities of Orlando, Belle Isle, Apopka, Oakland, and Eatonville.

Illinois

City Colleges of Chicago, Illinois are now tobacco-free. Tobacco use, including cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products, may not be used on campus properties, including seven satellite locations and the district office. The change benefits City Colleges’ 120,000 students and 5,800 faculty and staff.

The city of Chicago, Illinois, is phasing out cigarette vending machines. Licenses for the machines will no longer be renewed. Over time, there will be no cigarette vending machines in the city, benefitting the health of more than 2.6 million residents.

Massachusetts

In Boston, Massachusetts, clients and staff of the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) Substance Abuse Bureau are now protected from harmful secondhand smoke in all BPHC facilities. Cessation services are available to BPHC staff and clients who would like assistance with quitting smoking. BHPC serves 4,300 clients annually and has 80 staff members.

In Boston, Massachusetts, public schools are now tobacco-free. In addition, tobacco marketing may no longer take place on school property. Boston’s 135 schools have more than 56,000 students and 9,000 employees.

The city of Boston, Massachusetts, is supporting 5 community development corporations in transitioning 1,700 affordable housing units to smoke-free housing. In addition, the city has established the Boston Smoke-Free Homes Web site for landlords and tenants to list and find smoke-free housing. More than 3,000 smoke-free units are listed on the Web site.

Ten hospitals in Boston, Massachusetts, have expanded their smoke-free areas to include outside spaces, such as parking lots and garages, green spaces, walkways, and tunnels. In addition, the hospitals are providing increased access to smoking cessation services for employees and patients who want to quit. The hospitals include Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Carney Hospital, Children’s Hospital Boston, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Tufts Medical Center, and Faulkner Hospital. Collectively, they employ about 90,000 people and receive about 5 million visits annually.

Nevada

An estimated 7,600 residents of public housing properties owned and managed by the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority are now protected from secondhand smoke and can enjoy smoke-free air. Protections cover individual units, buildings, and common areas.

The Southern Nevada Health District put into action a public education initiative to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use among Clark County’s 1.7 million residents. In messages delivered through print, radio, and television, the initiative highlighted the health effects of tobacco use and the financial costs associated with treating smoking-related illnesses. A television spot titled “You're Not Supposed To Be Here” demonstrated how tobacco smoke travels within multi-unit housing spaces and puts residents at risk for exposure to harmful secondhand smoke.

Pennsylvania

Two hospitals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—Einstein Hospital and MossRehab at Elkins Park—are now tobacco-free. The change not only benefits the hospitals’ 14,200 employees, but also patients and visitors. Both hospitals also provide access to smoking cessation resources to employees who want to quit smoking.

South Carolina

In North Myrtle Beach, in Horry County, South Carolina, indoor and outdoor public spaces are now smoke-free. The change applies to restaurants, bars, public and city-owned spaces, and buses, as well as parks, athletic fields, sporting/athletic venues, and amphitheaters. North Myrtle Beach has 12,000 residents and hosts millions of visitors annually.

Texas

The University of Texas at Austin is now a smoke-free campus, benefitting more than 51,000 students, 24,000 faculty and staff, and visitors. Tobacco products may not be used in university buildings or on university grounds. Tobacco cessation services are available to students, faculty, and staff who would like assistance in quitting tobacco use.

Austin Community College in Texas is now smoke-free. Protections cover all college grounds, facilities, and college-owned vehicles. Cessation services are available to students and employees who want to quit smoking. The college has 60,100 students and 4,500 employees.

Washington

All 27 parks in the city of Burien, in King County, Washington, are now tobacco free. The change protects the community’s 150,000 residents from exposure to cancer-causing tobacco products.

Auburn Regional Medical Center (ARMC) in King County, Washington, is now tobacco-free. Tobacco products and electronic cigarettes may not be used on the ARMC campus. Tobacco cessation services are available to ARMC’s 1,000 employees and 45,000 patients who receive services at the center each year.

Seattle Housing Authority properties are now smoke-free, protecting more than 26,000 residents from harmful secondhand smoke in apartments and common areas.

In King County, Washington, all 44 publicly funded behavioral health agencies, which provide mental health and substance abuse services to low-income residents, are now tobacco-free. The change benefits the more than 50,000 clients who receive services each year at 105 county-run treatment sites. In addition, cessation services are available to clients who would like to quit using tobacco.

Wisconsin

Lac Courte Oreillas (LCO) Community College, located in Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc., Wisconsin, is now a smoke-free campus. LCO Community College is one of two smoke-free tribal colleges in Wisconsin, and one of the few smoke-free colleges in the state. LCO serves approximately 1,100 students, 100 teachers and staff, and thousands of community members.